Metajust: Shaping Justice in the Metaverse

The intersection of immersive reality, new digital devices, and emerging technologies in the Metaverse transforms economic, social, and legal systems, raising crucial questions about digital governance and justice. This paper presents insights from the MetaJust project, which investigates the role of technologies such as extended reality (XR), blockchain, and AI in proposing solutions for the digitalisation of public and justice services.

Within the framework of datafication (Dijck, 2019) and immersive technologies, the project analyses the social dynamics in the Metaverse and their impact on public and judicial services. It explores how integrating advanced technologies is redefining the boundaries between physical and digital realities, creating new forms of social experience and interaction. These processes will be examined through the implementation of a digitised public service based on Metaverse technology, specifically the development of a virtual court that replicates a real courtroom. This virtual court can be used for mock hearings, training legal professionals, and testing processes related to the “virtualisation” of public and judicial services.

Additionally, the study will explore the ethical and legal implications of using Metaverse technologies, focusing on digital data management, the influence of big tech companies, and the redefinition of digital identity through avatars. In line with theories on digital infrastructure (Planting et al., 2018) and algorithmic governance (Pasquale, 2015), this contribution opens a critical reflection on how the evolution of the Metaverse might impact existing inequalities and foster more horizontal relationships, offering a fresh perspective on the future of digital justice. This intervention invites a deep consideration of how legal and social systems can adapt and innovate to meet the challenges posed by these emerging technologies.